


Five Times Rose Gave Pearl An Out, And One Time She Didn't Have To

by biglesbian



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/F, Post-Episode: s05e18 A Single Pale Rose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-07 22:32:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15917601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/biglesbian/pseuds/biglesbian
Summary: Pearl isn't used to having any autonomy, and while Rose is selfish, she isn't an asshole.





	Five Times Rose Gave Pearl An Out, And One Time She Didn't Have To

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written a fanfic in years, go easy on me! Drunkenly checking the Steven Universe discord tag is never recommended. I feel very strongly that Rose, WHO HAS EMPATHY POWERS, could tell the difference between love and Stockholm Syndrome. This is just my piece on what I think happened in between Pink's initial rebellion and the "shattering" of her. Let me know what you think, gently please.

It was months since Pink Diamond's temper tantrum, the one that coerced Yellow into giving her the Earth. It was weeks since Pearl had come up with her genius idea; since the two of them had seen how very _alive_ Earth was. It was about a week since her Pearl started imagining. It was exactly two minutes ago that Pink lost the fight with Yellow and Blue over Earth. Since she realized her authority meant too much except when it meant nothing.

“Pearl.” Pink started. “Pearl, this is never going to work. They don't care what I say. How I feel.”

“The Diamonds are known to prioritize logic.”

“You and I both know they don't.” Pink changed her form. “It's not fair! If they just saw the potential here,” She motioned out the window of the moon base. “they could understand why I care so much.” The Diamond Authority had ruled long before she had emerged. They had been set in their ways long before she understood her position. Stuck somewhere between a deity and a child. “Pearl, this isn't your fight. This isn't one Pink Diamond can fight...but a rebellious Rose Quartz, they can't ignore that!” There were stars in her eyes, the kind that made Pearl feel like she was doing her job right. “This isn't something you have to participate in.”

There wasn't even a thought. “Of course I do, my Diamond.” Rose rolled her eyes, but a kind of knowing giggle escaped her lips.

 

* * *

 

The second time Rose Quartz gave Pearl an out was before they tried to scare everyone off planet. “Pearl, are you sure you want to go through with this?”   
Pearl paused. “Yes, my Diamond.”

“Good! I'm so excited, I can't wait!” Rose gushed. “I'm glad you agreed, I need your fighting skills.”

“I'm sure you could accomplish this without my swordsmanship.” Light blue flushed across Pearl's cheeks at the compliment. Something that had been happening too often. Weeks had passed since Pink last tried to confront the other Diamonds. Of course Pearl's Diamond had tried to come to Earth immediately, but Pearl helped her come up with a much more effective strategy. Pearl liked strategy and thinking. She loved that Rose allowed her to do so.While they didn't succeed in scaring off Blue, they did meet something brand new. A fusion, between a ruby and a sapphire. Something totally unheard of. Something Rose adored.

* * *

 

It was later that night, they were walking home. Sapphire and Ruby trailed behind them, chatting quietly. “Look at them!” Rose said, adoration clear in her voice. “They don't care about status, they don't care that they've just ruined their futures in the colonies. They just... love.” Pearl's whole body jumped at that word, her cheeks as blue as they could be.

“Yes, my Diamond.” Pearl said, instinctively. She was covering her ass. Making sure she didn't say something stupid.

“Shhh! They might hear you! Doesn't it make you wonder how fun it would be? What were you saying earlier, about what if you met me here, on Earth? If you weren't mine...” Rose giggled.

Terror shook Pearl. Her hand gripped her stomach. Her face flushed even harder. Even though digestion was a mystery to her, she felt nauseous. Her Diamond was mocking her. It was all just some game.

A much larger, much pinker hand grabbed Pearl's. Their fingers interlaced. Rose looked down at Pearl, and every anxiety melted. The larger gem stopped suddenly, catching Pearl off guard. She almost tripped, but Rose spun her into her body. That was the first time Rainbow Quartz came into being. She was a knowing look, she was an inside joke, she was mutual unconditional love. Rose realized then just how much Pearl adored her; Pearl realized then how free she truly was. She felt how much Rose respected her. It was more reason to stay than ownership ever was.

* * *

 

The two of them were off somewhere. A human date, Rose had fantasized. They were walking in one of the fields they had seen that first day on Earth. “I just don't get it!” Pearl rambled on. She'd developed a habit of this, especially when the two of them were alone. “I thought dates were sustenance! How on Earth is something supposed to be both a food and an occasion?” She wondered.

“Isn't that one of the beauties of Earth?” Rose asked back. “Here one word can have a million different meanings! Anything can be anything. I think it's beautiful.”

“I know.” Pearl said affectionately. Her everything was watching a lazy bee, pollinating the strawberry flowers that surrounded them. As Pearl stared at her, she wondered how someone who was her whole world could become her world all over again, in a wholly different sense.

“Pearl!” she snapped out of her thoughts. “Race you to the top!” Rose stood on the first of many small platforms, tiny islands suspended in the sky.

“Wait, my Diamond!” It was reflex at this point. As lithe as Pearl was, Rose was faster. By the time Pearl had gotten to the top, Rose's mood had flipped. She was brooding, looking out at the view their vantage point gave them. Pearl kneeled, jumping up there was no easy feat, and her studies of human culture showed that this was a symbol of respect.  
“Pearl,” Started Rose, her voice like honey to her counterpart.

“Yes?” Asked Pearl, eager as ever. Wishing this hurt wouldn't keep affecting her Rose this way.

“I'm going to stay, and fight for this planet. You don't have to do this with me.”

“But I want to!” Anything for her. What was life without freedom? What was life without Rose?

“I know you do. Please, please understand. If we lose, we'll be killed; and if we win, we can never go home.”

“Why would I ever want to go home, if you're here?” Rose reached a hand down, with a light laugh. Pearl looked at it, admiration and love and wonder all in her face.   
“My Pearl.” Said Rose. Her's, but not. Words can have a million different meanings.

“You're wonderful.” She grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers. Rose gave her so many ways to get out of this, even though she knew the answer would stay the same. It was different, though. Rose let her be an individual. A being with meaning beyond what she was created for. This independence allowed her to truly see what would make Rose happy. It allowed her to know she was _happy_ making Pearl happy. Pearl pulled her down, catching the larger gem off guard. Rose's curls were in her face, Rose's laugh was on her lips, Rose's body was heavy against her own. Kissing Rose was a different kind of fusion. One that Pearl never could have guessed she would enjoy more.

* * *

 

Pink couldn't stand talking to the other Diamonds anymore. She couldn't stand the saluting, she couldn't stand the coldness they hid behind, she couldn't stand how she was expected to treat Pearl. If it weren't for the plan the two of them had hatched up, Pink would probably spontaneously combust during this meeting. As soon as Yellow hung up, Pink Diamond was Rose Quartz again.   
“You should really be more careful! What if they had forgotten something?” Pearl almost chastised.

“You know Yellow,” Rose blew it off. “she would never call back to admit she, Yellow Diamond, mistakenly forgotten something.”

“You're right.” Pearl smiled. Rose seemed genuinely excited.

“Oh my gosh Pearl, are you as excited as I am?” Rose asked, barely breathing in between words. “This is gonna be so great. Thank you, thank you, Pearl!” The way Rose said her name made Pearl fall in love over and over and over. Her face was caught between love and anxiety. Rose looked her in the eyes, and immediately got worried. “Pearl, don't be sad, hey. You don't have to do this if you don't want to. We know how dire the consequences are. I could talk to another Crystal Gem about doing this if you don't want to.”

“No!” Pearl's answer came out angry and fast. Her eyes were yanked shut, her nose was crinkled, fat tears trailed down her face. This year felt so long and so short. Pearl felt more alive than she ever had, felt more like a person than she ever had. _Please don't ever stop._ Rose's words echoed in her head every time she doubted herself, every time she wondered if she was being inappropriate, every time she felt like she was defective. Rose had asked something of her, not demanded. Rose had faith in her plans, not her ability to take direction. She was nothing, yet Rose made her feel like she was everything. And again, Rose put Pearl in the center of her universe, hugging her, wiping away her tears, and kissing away everything her fingers didn't get.

“I just hate to think I got you caught up in all this.” The gem whispered into Pearl's forehead. Hot breath against her cold gem. Big hands against her small frame. As she pressed her form against Rose's soft body, Pearl leaned up to redirect Rose's lips. She tried to put the feelings she was having into this kiss, digging her hands into big pink curls. Pressing against her body as hard as she could. Holding her Diamond, her love, her whole world, wondering if she could get a feeling across with an action rather than with words. When Pearl pulled away, Rose's eyes were filled with stars, she knew the message came across loud and clear. They saw each other's flaws and were more dear to each other because of them. Rose laughed, and nothing else mattered. “I'm glad. I'd rather it be you, we started this, we can end it.”

* * *

 

The last time Rose was Pink Diamond, everything was in place. Soldiers were too far away to hear them, especially in the Palanquin, but they whispered anyway. Pearl gripped the sword Bismuth had made Rose like a lifeline. Tried to talk her Diamond out of it. Even if this was planned out, Pink was known for being compulsive. For wanting what she wanted when she wanted it. Something about Earth had changed that too, though, and Rose wanted to fight. She was filled with empathy and indignation for this planet and the thousands of life forms that existed on it. Her cause was just, seeing how happy her Crystal Gems were proved that. While Pearl tried to talk her out of it, she didn't want her to back out. She knew Rose knew this, and knew Pearl wouldn't back out. Nothing in Pearl wanted to back out, even though she was given that autonomy. Reconditioning, harvesting, even an immediate shattering would be safer than this, would be the gem thing to do. They weren't colony gems any more though. When Pink made the fake shards, it brought everything to life. Nothing like this could happen to her Diamond, to her Rose, and Pearl had to be there to help her make sure of that.

When Pink made her last order Pearl wasn't offended. She knew it was easier this way. She knew it would torment and confuse their friends to know their rebel leader was part of the very hierarchy they sought to destroy. She knew Rose was a great leader, driven by selflessness, and that her decisions were right. Thousands of years later, she might look at this moment differently, might see Pink as being slightly more selfish. Here and now, however, they were in war. Their message was one of love and one that couldn't be confused.

A day or two passed before Rose reformed. A day or two more before they appeared before the army Rose had built. When Rose told them what she had done, the celebration was immense. Rose Quartz was hoisted up and tossed around. Gems ate, drank, and danced. A lot of them loved these human traditions, loved having this culture that was so different from Homeworld. Pearl was separated from Rose for hours. She chatted and sparred and celebrated with her friends. Everything began to die down and Pearl found Rose by a fire on the beach, chatting with some amethyst soldiers. They were all clapping her on the back and asking her to teach them what she knew, enough knowledge to shatter a Diamond. Rose shooed them when Pearl approached. Never a demand from Rose Quartz, always requests. Requests that they were happy to oblige. They saw how Pearl defended Rose. How Rose looked at Pearl.

“Pearl,” she half whispered. “this credit should all go towards you. You shattered me.” She laughed, how could she not. She loved this life they were carving for themselves so much.

“Oh, I didn't do anything more than follow directions.” Pearl was blushing.

“Pearl! You've been _making_ the directions this whole time! You've been taking all my ideas and wants and needs, and you've been turning them into reality. A year ago I could never dream of doing this. I've never been more excited. I could never have dreamed in a thousand years that I'd be able to feel this way about someone. That I'd be able to do this” She kissed Pearl on her gem. “any time I want! This is just. So fantastic.” She sighed. “My Pearl. I love you.”

“I love you too, my D-Rose.” Rose cuddled into her.

“See? Isn't that so much better?”

 


End file.
